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Facing Times of Stress: When God Is Silent (Part One)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsIn the narrative of Acts 23, we see that God is not limited by circumstances or human constraints. Even when He seems silent and remote during dark times, His presence and purpose remain steadfast. He is never closer to His people than when they cannot perceive His intervention. God creates and masters circumstances, using them to accomplish His will, as seen in the life of Paul, who faced imprisonment and threats yet was guided and protected through seemingly insignificant events and people. God's ability to use the small and the seemingly insignificant is evident. He employs the humble and the weak to shame the mighty, as illustrated when He used Paul's nephew, an unexpected figure, to warn Paul of a deadly plot. This demonstrates that God can work through anyone, regardless of their perceived importance, to fulfill His plans. Circumstances do not hinder God; rather, He orchestrates them for His glory, as shown in the intricate events of Joseph's life, where every detail, from a dry cistern to a passing caravan, was used to elevate him from slavery to power in Egypt. Furthermore, God's intervention is not always overt or immediate. When direct comfort or revelation is absent, as in parts of Paul's journey, His earlier promises and the inspired written Word sustain His people. Jesus' words to Paul, "Be of good cheer," and God's assurance to Abraham, "Do not be afraid," were not repeated, yet they were meant to strengthen them through future trials. God's power is also seen in the protection provided to Paul through a massive Roman escort of 470 troops, ensuring his safety against a conspiracy of zealots, showing that He can mobilize even worldly forces for His purposes. Ultimately, God's limitless nature assures us that His purposes will be accomplished regardless of our circumstances. Whether through small things or great, in silence or in action, He works through each situation to bring about His will, offering hope and encouragement to trust in Him even when the path seems weary and dark.
God's Non-Transmittable Attributes (Part Three): Omniscience
Bible Study by Martin G. CollinsGod fully knows Himself and all things seen and unseen, physical and spiritual, past, present, and future. All of God's thoughts and actions are wholly informed by His perfect knowledge and character, making Him unconditionally and eternally trustworthy. God's senses are not limited; since He designed and created everything, He observes the entire spectrum of light and energy, and He hears the whole range of sound. Nothing escapes His understanding. His Spirit searches all things, including our most secretive thoughts, knowing us more thoroughly and intimately than we know ourselves. Predicting our future actions is but child's play to His immeasurable intellect. He is thoroughly and intimately acquainted with His entire creation, including all the innumerable stars and each of us. No place exists where we can hide ourselves, our thoughts, or anything from God.
God's Non-Transmittable Attributes (Part Two): Omnipresence
Bible Study by Martin G. CollinsGod is not limited by any spatial dimension in the physical realm, for He is spiritual and always present everywhere and at any time with His whole Being. As Jeremiah 23:23-24 declares, "Am I a God near at hand," says the LORD, "and not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?" says the LORD; "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the LORD. This omnipresence, the quality of being present in all places at all times, is a non-transmittable attribute of God, one that humans can never possess. Though God rules the universe from His throne in the third heaven, He inhabits eternity, and His eyes are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good, as affirmed by Isaiah 57:15 and Proverbs 15:3. God's omnipresence is sustained through His Holy Spirit, the boundless power that also undergirds His omnipotence. David understood this connection, pleading, "Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me" (Psalm 51:11), and questioning, "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?" (Psalm 139:7). Through His Spirit, God is never confined but is present in all His power at every point in space and time, seeing and hearing all, just as He saw and heard David. No external force can place any limitation on God's omnipresence. He perceives all things in all places and at all times, as Hebrews 4:13 and Proverbs 5:21 confirm. David further expresses this in Psalm 139:8-12, stating, "If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell the grave, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me." Darkness cannot hide from Him, for the night shines as the day to Him. There is no place in the universe where anyone is obscured from God's presence, and through His Spirit, our heavenly Father fills the entirety of the vast universe with absolute sovereignty to do anything He wills, seeing and hearing everything. Because of His omnipresence, we can seek Him anywhere and be strengthened and encouraged by His presence in any circumstance.
The Elijah Syndrome (Part Three)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeGod is in no way limited in His ability to work through whomever He chooses. Even when Elijah believed he was the only one left to serve God's purpose, God had servants known only to Himself, revealing that His plans and reach extend far beyond human perception. Our most expansive concept of God remains woefully narrow, especially when we focus on ourselves rather than Him. John the Baptist, who came in the spirit of Elijah, recognized this truth, declaring that a man can receive nothing unless it is given from heaven, affirming that God is not constrained in His gifting. If He gifted John to preach mightily, He could equally gift another, as He did with Jesus Christ. Elisha, Elijah's successor, asked for a double portion of Elijah's spirit, and more of his miracles are recorded, further demonstrating that God's power and favor are not confined to one individual. God's sovereignty shines through multiple groups, as seen in the seven churches foretold in Revelation, suggesting that He works across diverse folds, not limited to a single entity or person.
Self-Examination, Not Self-Preoccupation
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsThere is a critical difference between self-examination and self-preoccupation. We must accurately assess our spiritual state without becoming self-absorbed.
Psalm 51 (Part One): Background
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughDavid's power and assumption of immunity led to arrogance, complacency, and a total disregard for God's commands, bringing an unpleasant visit from Nathan.
The Second Commandment: Idolatry
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe natural mind craves something physical to remind us of God, but the Second Commandment prohibits this. Any representation will fall short of the reality.